LAHORE:
The Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department (L&NFBE) is working on a project to provide first six years of education to out-of-school children in an ambitious 30 to 40 months.
L&NFBE Additional Secretary Nadeem Alam Butt is overlooking the project Non-formal Education Promotion Project that was launched in 2011.
He said the non-formal curriculum had been developed over three years in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA).
The curriculum, developed in line with the National Curriculum Policy 2006, will cover education from nursery to grade 5.
Butt said certain changes had been made to the curriculum using an “integrated” approach to achieve the desired goals.
“It took us three years to develop the curriculum for non-formal basic education. It has been compiled keeping in view the needs of the children who have not been in the formal school net.”
According to official figures, there are 2.5 million children in the 10-14 age group who have either missed out schooling altogether or who have been dropped out.
Butt said behavioral patterns of children had been considered while setting the duration of covering the curriculum.
“These are marginalised children who are leading their lives in a way where school has no place. We have to ensure flexibility… to allow them to make schools and education a part of their lives,” Butt said.
He said a majority of out-of-children were employed and they needed to be taught in their spare time. “Education should be an attraction and not a burden for them.”
The curriculum has been divided into three modules on the basis of classes they cover. The department has piloted the curriculum in 12 schools providing non- formal basic education in five districts – Khanewal, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Mandi Bahauddin and Mianwali.
The first module Package A is for nursery and grade 1. It provides four books on English, mathematics, general Knowledge and Urdu. Package A has been piloted in eight months.
“The module employs the latest educational content, including phonetics. It deals with alphabets, basic reading and writing,” Butt said.
The second and third modules are called Package B and Package C, respectively. Package B, which is being piloted, covers grades 2 and 3.
Butt said the target was to finish the module in 10 months… after which students would receive a literacy certificate.
Package C that covers grades 4 and 5 is closer to the curriculum being implemented by the School Education Department in the respective classes.
It covers Urdu, mathematics, English, general science and social studies.
The L&NFBE says the module is aimed at familiarising the out-of-school children with formal schooling. They can take exams under the Punjab Examination Commission after this level.
The children will be given a primary level certificate after this stage.
Although the department claims that development of non-formal curriculum comes under its domain after the 18th Amendment, the course is yet to be approved by the Punjab Curriculum Authority. The department says they expect the curriculum to be approved once the pilot phase of Package B ends.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2014.
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